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Silky Microfoam on the Saeco Aroma? Really?

We often get requests for tips on how someone can achieve a silky, super-fine textured microfoam on a Saeco Aroma. Doing so is less a technique issue than an equipment issue: The Aroma’s stock panarello wand/sleeve are designed to automatically incorporate air into the milk during frothing, creating a fluffy foam. The benefit of this is that someone can get a nice foamy milk without a lot of skill or technique involved; however, the texture of the milk is more fluffy and airy — with larger air bubbles — than most people like, so it’s not ideal if you’re interested in achieving that shaving cream-like texture you often find at the hands of a pro barista.

So we went back to the drawing board and tried to modify the wand so that it would suck in less air during steaming. We tried duck tape, we tried epoxy, we even tried using the wand without the sleeve but it was just too short to really do a good job.

Eventually, Gail stumbled upon the stainless steel panarello steam wand replacements that we sell. These feature a tiny pinhole opening which pulls in significantly less air, so she tried putting it on the Aroma and it worked! By replacing the entire stock wand with the stainless steel version, we were able to successfully create a silky microfoam milk without requiring any type of skill or technique. Watch Gail below as she shows how the different wands compare and steams milk with each of them.

If you’re interested in picking up one of these steam wands, you can do so here.